Jihadi elements continue to challenge peace in Vadodara during Navratri

Vadodara, 26 September 2014

After Ganesh Utsav, a few Jihadis in Vadodara are spoiling peaceful atmosphere during Navratri celebrations in the areas where Hindu population is equal to them or in minority.

A group of Muslims complained about Facebook post by a particular Hindu person insulting Islam on Thursday. They later formed a group and started stone pelting, arson and even looting the shops in neighboring Hindu areas.

Before police could arrive in enough force to control the situation, groups of Hindus also started pelting stones in retaliation or say defense.

Later police force arrived, lobbed tear gas shells over groups on rampage and controlled the situation, but only for few hours.

Though extra police force, Rapid Action Force(RAF), State Reserve Police(SRP) and Border Security Force(BSF) was deployed, stone pelting incidents continued to occur even on the second day of Navratri today.

Police had to lob tear gas shells and halt traffic on particular road due to violence during Friday afternoon. Some children were rescued from a school in sensitive area by local Councillor and Hindu volunteers.

Though the situation has normalized for now, there’s still tension in the areas, and therefore the atmosphere is not conductive enough for celebration of Navratri.

State Home Secretary Nanda rushed to Vadodara following violence during Navratri festival continuously for second day.

It should be mentioned that in the past, same areas of Vadodara had witnessed a demonstration by a group with terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden’s posters in their hand. During the Hindu festival Ganesh Utsav recently, Ganesh processions were attacked twice. Police had to deploy huge convoy of vehicles, CCTV cameras, riot control equipments and force to ensure peaceful visarjan.

Police need to enforce major correction here for permanent solution for peace and law and order here during Hindu festivals. Tactics of pressurizing Hindus to leave their mohallas where they are in minority are not new in urban areas of Gujarat.

Update: Police fired 11 rounds in air and lobbed over 50 tear gas shells till Friday night to control the riots.

One person is badly injured due to wounds. He has been hospitalized for treatment.